The goal of this study is to determine the lithological, geochemical and structural controls for potential mineralization
in the northern parts of the Westcoast Crystalline Complex, focusing primarily on the area to the southwest of
Muchalat Inlet. This area may be significantly under-explored due to its poor access, and the relative lack of modern
geological research in the area. The study will use an array of techniques including mapping, radiogenic isotope studies,
petrographic analyses, thermobarometry, fluid inclusion and stable isotope studies. These techniques will be integrated
into a geological framework of tectonics and mineralization, with the major points addressed in this study
being:

Characterization of the potential and prospectivity of different styles of mineralization in the Westcoast Crystalline Complex.

Additional geochemical data to be added to the publicly available compilation.

Abstract: The Conuma River and Leagh Creek intrusive complexes are examples of mid-crustal portions of the Jurassic Bonanza island arc, located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The Conuma River locality exhibits layered intrusions, consisting of alternating hornblenditic and hornblende gabbroic cumulates, occurring with numerous, contemporaneous small volume mafic to intermediate intrusions in tonalitic rocks. The Leagh Creek intrusions exhibit extensive silicic and basaltic magma mingling. Both complexes are interpreted as products of multiple magma pulses into the solidifying host intrusions. Two new radiometric hornblende Ar-Ar ages suggest Early to Middle Jurassic ages for two intrusions from each of the complexes. Geochemical crystallization modeling shows a genetic link between the Conuma River cumulate hornblenditic and non-cumulate hornblende gabbroic intrusions via dominantly olivine fractionation. Conversely, most of the intrusions of both complexes cannot be related by simple crystallization modeling, suggesting a complex history, involving magma mingling and assimilation processes.

Abstract: Nootka Island represents a portion of an accreted volcanoplutonic arc, on the western coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, of the Canadian Cordillera Insular Belt . This work provides a 1:110,000 scale geologic map and synthesises the regional tectonics. Two main protolith groups are evident on Nootka Island. Group 1 contains tholeiitic basalts that have within-plate / E-MORB element signatures. Limestones and siltstones comprise the intervening sedimentary strata. Group 2 comprises the youngest and consists of calc-alkaline, arc-like basalts, a plutonic suite, and minor hypabyssal bodies. Groups 1 and 2 resemble the Triassic Karmutsen and Jurassic Bonanza Formations. Plagioclase-hornblende thermometry and aluminium-in-hornblende barometry indicate metamorphism at up to 710o Celsius and 3.2 kbar of early Jurassic and older rocks. Whole rock argon dating of a basalt dyke post-deformation reveals crystallization ages of 168 Ma, and metamorphism at 158 Ma from an older Group 1 hyaloclastite.